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The Tongva
The Tongva, led by Toypurina, are a custom civilization by Clap. This mod requires Brave New World. Overview 'The Tongva' The Tongva are also known as the Gabrielino and the Fernandeno, after the names given to them by Spanish missionaries. They are also referred to as the Kizh. Bordering the Chumash, the Tongva were perhaps the most influential Native American tribe of Southern California. The Tongva inhabited land along much of the southern Californian coast. This included a number of coastal islands, like Santa Catalina. The Ballona Wetlands and the Los Angeles Basin also were home to Tongva villages. The natural resources of the region played a large role in Tongvan life. Coast live oak acorns, tule reeds, black walnut wood, and tar from natural pits were used as food and construction materials. Salt marshes often served as centers for tribal housing. They also relied heavily on the coast for food. Fishing was important; steelhead trout in freshwater and larger fish hooked with abalone shells made up a large part of their diets. Trade was also an important part of Tongva culture. They built sturdy boats called ti'ats from tule reeds and tar, enabling them to trade goods all along the coast. This was especially important for the island-dwelling groups of Tongva, who could obtain materials from the mainland in exchange for valuable soapstone. Soapstone was invaluable for carving as well as heating, as they were warmed and used to boil water. Tongva trade was widespread; abalone shells found as far as the Mississippi have been traced back to them. Tongva men and women both wore their hair long; men tied theirs into buns with wooden or bone pins, while women let their hair hang loose. Women also wore skirts or aprons of grass or yucca fibers. Men wore loincloths or nothing at all in the summer and animal skins in the winter. Shoes were usually not worn, except when traveling through areas full of cacti. When the Spanish arrived, they described the Tongva as short and comparatively light-skinned after encounters with the indigenous peoples of Mexico. Women protected their skin from the sun with red ochre. Some also described them as blonde, possibly due to urine used to kill lice in their hair. The Spanish first reached the Los Angeles Basin in 1542. It was not until construction of Mission San Gabriel Arcangel, however, that they began significantly interacting with the Tongva. Initially, the tribes were amicable, paddling out from shore to greet Spanish ships with gifts. With their arrival, however, disease began to ravish the tribes. Forced relocation put further pressure on them, made worse by the oftentimes poor treatment they received from Spanish missionaries. Beatings, forced conversions, and induction into slave labor to build the missions quickly soured relations between the groups. After an unsuccessful rebellion led by chief Toypurina, the Tongva were largely forced under unofficial Spanish rule. When Mexico gained its independence from Spain, it sold much of the Tongva land to ranchers, along with the Tongva inhabiting them as forced laborers. When California was ceded to the United States in 1848, plans were made to set aside land for a reservation, but the plans were never ratified. Much of Tongva culture has been lost, both due to intentional eradication and gradual dissipation. Though some still claim Tongva ancestry today, the vast majority of Tongva were forced to culturally assimilate, either when the Spanish forced them into labor or religion or when Californian ranchos later put them to work. The development of Los Angeles further destroyed evidence of Tongva traditions. Pictographs in the San Gabriel Mounains have been found, but their meaning is unclear. Their marshy environments have helped preserve some pieces of old villages and materials, sometimes found while developing areas for urbanization. It seems that war was rare amongst the Tongva; when it did arise, it was usually due to ceremonial misconducts or violation of agreements. The Tongva performed what were known as "song fights" to resolve disputes without war, singing vulgar, insulting songs to one another for days while stamping on the ground. 'Toypurina' Toypurina was a chief, medicine woman, and powerful spiritual leader of the Tongva tribe. Known for her eloquent oratory and skillful negotiation in trade, she was respected both by her local community as well as by tribes across the Californian coast. Toypurina was nine years old when Spanish missionaries arrived in the Los Angeles basin, and was witness to a wide range of atrocities they committed against her people; among them were rape, forcible conversion, and slave labor. The Tongva were pressed into building Mission San Gabriel Arcangel. There, Toypurina discussed her dissent with a forced convert named Nicholas Jose, who wished to drive the Spanish out of the valley through violent revolt. As a medicine woman, Toypurina was believed to hold great power, and Jose thought that with her aid, a rebellion would be feasbile. Toypurina agreed. Using her skills in rhetoric and connections with other tribes, she convinced three whole villages and a number of chiefs to help drive the Spanish away. A plot was underway. The plan was ill-fated, however. At the mission, a soldier had uncovered the plot and alerted his superiors. On the night of October 25th, 1785, at the age of 23, Toypurina led the charge into the mission. She herself was unarmed. Having been alerted beforehand, the Spanish were prepared. They arrested Toypurina and a number of her followers and taken to trial under the governor himself, Pedro Fages. Toypurina was sentenced to exile, forced baptism, and involuntary marriage to a Spanish soldier after being divorced from her Tongva husband. The plan was ill-fated, however. At the mission, a soldier had uncovered the plot and alerted his superiors. On the night of October 25th, 1785, at the age of 23, Toypurina led the charge into the mission. She herself was unarmed. Having been alerted beforehand, the Spanish were prepared. They arrested Toypurina and a number of her followers and taken to trial under the governor himself, Pedro Fages. Toypurina was sentenced to exile, forced baptism, and involuntary marriage to a Spanish soldier after being divorced from her Tongva husband. Though Toypurina's rebellion ultimately failed, she quickly became a folk hero and a martyr for her people. The Tongva and their related tribes were deeply unhappy with their treatment by the Spanish missionaries. Toypurina's rallying call resonated with many of them, who similarly desired for an end to forced labor and conversions. "Be brave and fight," she demanded. Toypurina was the only Native American woman in history to spearhead a revolt against overseas invaders. Compared to her fellow rebels, she was punished disproportionately. While her peers were freed with the caveat of mandatory surveillance, Toypurina was exiled and forced into a Catholic marriage; she was made an example of. Today, Toypurina remains a figure of bravery and resistance for the Tongva as well as an important leader in Californian history. 'Dawn of Man' May peace be upon you, Toypurina of the Tongva. A medicine woman of the bountiful Californian coast, you came of age during a time of great distress for your people. You were respected by all for your courage and guidance, connecting the various communities of the coast through trade and correspondence. As Spanish missionaries invaded and overtook the sacred lands, they sought to supplant the beliefs of your forefathers and coerce your people into building their settlements. You, with only the weapon of oratory, rallied the villages and spearheaded a revolt against Mission San Gabriel Arcangel. Though defeated, your call to action reignited a spark of defiance against the Spanish when others hesitated to respond. Brave Toypurina, the lands of your people remain rich and plentiful. It is time to reclaim what was once yours. With your stirring rhetoric, will you lead the Tongva once more in the face of peril? Unique Attributes Unique Attributes Strategy Category:All Civilizations Category:Civilizations with Female leaders Category:Tribal American Cultures